Never Too Late
by Symphony.In.The.Abyss
Summary: A NaruInoSaku story, a challenge. Naruto leaves again for another year, leaving a heartbroken Sakura. Leaving on a vacation Naruto finally comes back and finds friendship with Ino. what happens when Sakura returns from this vacation?
1. Chapter 1

**Never Too Late**

_**A/N: This was a challenge from gof22! It will be a NaruSakuIno. Thank you to whoever reads this, don't forget to leave a review. 8D**_

----------------------------------------------------

**Chapter 1: Gone**

Naruto sighed letting out some of the pain that coursed through his body. Finally defeating Orochimaru with Sasuke and after defeating the Akatsuki with the help of Kakashi and the rest of the Konoha 12, Sasuke returned home, and strangely with his own wife. Naruto coughed and some blood came out from his mouth. Sakura who was by his bedside wiped away the blood and turned to the door seeing the door knob turn.

"Chihiro-san," Sakura muttered as Sasuke's wife entered. She was beautiful and one year older than them. She had dark purple hair, and right now it was let loose reaching up to her forearm. She let out a soft welcoming smile towards Sakura and turned her head to Naruto. Her pale skinned hand stroked the bandages on Naruto's head and she looked at her contently.

"How's Naruto-san?" she asked looking at him as he closed his eyes. He didn't feel like speaking and he wanted to rest. Chihiro looked at Sakura and waited for an answer.

"He's fine, his demon within him is helping the healing process, but he's tired." Sakura looked tired as well, having to take care of Naruto. Her heart ached slightly, she wokred hard to find Sasuke with Naruto, and the day he leaves on his own, he finds success, 'He doesn't need me...' She told herself. For a long while now she had been growing attached to Naruto. It had been a year since he had returned, they deafeted the Akatsuki, she herself helped beat Sasori and Tobi. She even delivered the last blow to the leader. Taht was, after Naruto launched a Rasenshuriken. She looked at his pained face and changed his bandages again and threw out the bloody ones

"I'm weak..." muttered a weak Naruto right after Chihiro left, "How's Sasuke? I barely was able to protect him."

"You know Sasuke," Sakura replied trying to cheer up Naruto, "Wanting to do things on his own, it's only natural that he's beat up."

"Thanks for trying to cheer me up Sakura-chan," Naruto responded looking at her, "But it's my fault I couldn't keep him still. I couldn't even keep still..." his voice became quieter at the end of that sentence, "I need to learn how to control Kyuubi."

"Then learn how to Naruto, we all know that you're going to become the Hokage one day. Just keep training, you're even more powerful than Sasuke." She backed away a bit as Naruto got up. His wounds suddenly enclosed themselves and she let out a sigh of relief. There was a bit of pain in his eyes, and he winced as she wiped a bit more medice on the blood and small scrapes. He then looked up at her with a slight smile and stood out of bed.

Sakura gasped a little as he continued walking out of the room. Her temple throbbed and she grabbed his shoulder, focusing her chakra there to use her strength to pull him back down. But she felt a bit guilty when he winced in pain once more and turned to her with dark eyes.

"Let me go Sakura-chan," he muttered, lifting her hand off. She was surprised since she was still doing her best to hold on to him. he lifted her hand off and she fell to the floor. Using her careful chakra control she let the chakra flow loose so she wouldn't make a hole in the ground. She stared as he continued to walk, the open and close the door.

"Naruto-kun..." she muttered, slightly in a daze.

--------------------------------------

"Sorry everyone..." Naruto muttered, at the gates of Konoha, "But I need to leave again...I'm just not strong enough." The guards looked at him and commanded that he stop. Naruto let Kyuubi's chakra pulsate from his palms, knocking down the guards, "Sorry," he muttered before running out, not coming back until at least a year.

---------------------------------------

"Damnit," Tsunade growled as Shizune told her of what happened at the gate, "He was actually serious about going." Her fist slammed onto the desk, a mass amount of papers falling to the ground. Shizune sighed and Tonton whinned.

"Should I list him as a missing nin?" Shizune finally asked, not liking the aura Tsunade was spreading.

"No," Tsunade replied, "He shouldnt be gone for too long. Find Sakura and tell her the news, then tell her to report it to the rest of his friends so they won't worry."

Shizune simply nodded and immediately left to find the other apprentice.

-------------------------------------

Sakura wiped the final tear from her eye, Ino stroked her hair lightly, "He'll be back Sakura, don't worry." Ino tried to comfort her friend, she was the last to know of Naruto's leaving and she was surprised that he would leave again so early. Sakura hugged her friend again and stood up, walking to the door, "It'll be okay Sakura, you have better things to do, he has been away before."

Sakura simply nodded and walked out, "It's strange how you don't know how I feel about him Ino..."

--------------------------------------

"I think I know why he left..." Sakura began, while organizing the flowers along with Ino. Ino sighed at this and looked at her friend.

"Don't tell me that you're going to blame yourself..."

Sakura frowned, "But it must be my fault, maybe he's angry at me, maybe it's because I was so weak he thinks he needs to get even stronger..."

Ino looked at her friend again, 'Naruto...What have you done to my friend?' Taking in a deep breath she put her hand on Sakura's shoulder, "Sakura it's not your fault..."

Sakura then burst into tears, pounding her fists onto the ground she yelled, "I'm a horrible friend!" She wiped some of her tears, "Both of my team mates have run off..."

Ino hugged her friend, "Sakura..."

From that day on, Sakura had come to Ino for comfort about Naruto. Every once in a while she would think of new reasons to why she caused for him to leave. Ino couldn't bear to see her friend in so much pain. She turned to Tsunade and she convinced her to get Sakura to take a 6 month vacation.

"She needs to get her mind off of him," Ino muttered, "I can't believe I haven't noticed that she liked him so much."

Tsunade nodded slightly, "I'll tell her. I swear that Naruto is surprising, even when he isn't here..."

------------------------------------

"I'm back..." His outfit had changed once more. Sakura had gone to Ino for comfort for that one year and she left the day before Naruto had come back. Will this vacation really help her out?

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_**A/N: Hey everyone, there it is. Sorry if the first chapter was a little rushed. It's only to set things up. Next chapter will be longer I promise.**_

_**What happens when Naruto returns to a broken home? Who takes him in? What happens then? How will things be when Sakura returns to a new Naruto?**_


	2. Chapter 2

**Never Too Late**

**_A/N: Whoa, sorry for the long wait. I see you guys took a liking to this, thanks for your reviews. xD_**

-------------

Chapter 2: Torn

It was late at night as Naruto wandered the streets of Konoha, taking his time as he approached his home. Luckily, for the long time period of him not being in Konoha, he hadn't been reported as a missing nin.

Finding himself facing his home, he flinches seeing that something is different. Before him is a torn down apartment building with construction workers camping out.

"M-My home..." he mutters to himself. Growling, he quickly turns his body to face the direction of the hokage building, "That Tsunade-baa-chan...What the hell..."

-----

Sakura arrives at an inn in the hidden village of Mist, her possessions safe inside a bag. After making arrangements for a room, a familiar voice calls out to her.

"Sakura-chan?"

Sakura immediately turns around to face an old friend from her very first mission. Although it has been about 5 years, she still had that gentle face, and it was still as beautiful as it was when she was 12.

"Tsunami-san?" Sakura muttered as clarification. The woman nodded at her with a smile following up afterwards.

"I own this inn dear," Tsunami replies. Taking the girl's hands she continues to smile, "I would love to let you stay here for free! How long are you planning to stay?"

"Six months," Sakura replies bluntly. Shaking her head she returns Tsunami's smile, "I can't freeload off you for six whole months...How about I pay half then?"

"No, no no young lady," tsumani quickly retorts shaking her head furiously. Sakura couldn't help but blush, "Your team did a grand thing for us back then."

"But I was uselesss back then...I didn't do anything to help you guys at all..." She admitted, her head lowered down as if she was shamed of her past uselessness.

tsunami pulled the girl into a hug, "You were young...But I know that you helped."

"How?" Sakura asked, returning the hug, resting her head on the older woman's shoulder.

"Naruto would tell me about you," another voice called out. Sakura was let go from the embrace as she turned her head to see another familiar face.

"I-Inari?!" Sakura muttered. During her first mission, she knew him as the crybaby. Standing before him 5 years later, she sees a much more mature boy. He smiled at her before continuing.

"He said that besides his rivalry with Sasuke, he always wanted to impress you."

"He had the time to see you after our mission?" Sakura asked a little curious. She wiped her previous tears as Inari joined the two.

"Oh yes, Naruto-kun visited us many times," Tsunami said in a gleeful voice, "He said he wanted to admire the Naruto Bridge and he wanted to check up on Inari."

Sakura was amazed by this fact. Smiling, she turned to Inari as he continued to speak.

"He told me about some sort of promise to you. You may have not seemed to be useful, to yourself, but you gave your teammates a reason to continue to fight. And your presence probably gave Naruto strength."

"Y-You really think so?" Sakura asked tearing up again. She placed some hair behind her ear as she blushed, "I always thought that the drive that kept Naruto going was his rivalry with Sasuke-kun."

"Well you thought wrong dear," Tsunami responded, Inari nodding afterwards, "Now come on, I'll show you to your room."

Sakura whispered a thank you as the three brought Sakura to her designated room.

----------

"This is an outrage!" naruto yelled, his bottom lip puffed out like when he was younger, "You don't report me as a missing nin, yet you destroy my home!"

"That dump was your home, but we're making a new academy there, and I'll be giving you your own home. A new home," Tsunade replied with a smile, "You'll love it."

Shizune looked a little concern as she eyed Naruto, "That's great! Where is it? I'm dead tired, come on tell me!" Shizune couldn't help but laugh to see the old childish Naruto appear in such a statement, Tsunade felt the same.

"Well...It's also in construction," tsunade admit, averting her eyes to the side.

"What?!" Naruto yelled, slamming his fists onto Tsunade's desk, "You're kidding, where the hell am I supposed to stay?!"

Shizune let out a soft sigh as Tonton frowned in her arms. Tsunade rubbed her temple, obviously bothered by Naruto's loud mouth.

"Ino!" Tsunade yelled. Naruto rose his eyebrow as the other blonde entered the room.

"Yes Godaime-sama?" ino said as she walked in. Approaching the desk, it took her a short while to recognize Naruto. "N-Naruto?!" she finally called out. The boy turned to her with a clueless look, that was until he remembered that it was Ino who tsunade called. As Ino continued to approach the boy, she tripped over her own feet.

"Whoa!" Ino yelled, as she fell to the floor.

"What's her problem?" naruto asked Shizune in a whispered tone. Shizune simply shrugged as he turned his attention back to the fallen blonde.

"Need help?" He asked, reaching his hand out for hers. She looked up at his with a blush from such an embarassing moment. With a nod, she pulled out her hand to be quickly brought to her feet by naruto's strong grip.

"Ah, its good to see you Ino," Tsunade said with a wide smile, "You've moved out of your parent's home about a month ago correct?"

Ino replied with a nod as she wiped the dust off her skirt, "Yes Godaime."

"Well then that settles it, you Ino, out of the orders of me, Godaime-sama, shall let Naruto live with you until his own home has been finished."

Shizune braced for the worst, Tonton covering her own little piggy ears.

"YOU'RE JOKING?!" The two screamed in unison, "ME, WITH THAT ANNOYING BRAT?!" the two continued in unison. Hearing what each other had said, they faced each other with a troubled face. "WHO ARE YOU CALLING 'ANNOYING BRAT'?!" The two said once again in unison, "STOP THAT! NO YOU!"

"They seem to be getting along," Tsunade muttered with a smirk as the two walked out arguing. Shizune sighed as her master said this.

"You sure you're seeing what I'm seeing?" She asked, Tsunade simply laughed.

-----

It was still the middle of a Konoha night. The sounds of late night training, drunken singing, and restless snoring echoed through the streets as the two blondes walked towards Ino's apartment.

"Of all the people, why did she choose me?" Ino mumbled, letting out troubled sighs.

"Shut up, this isn;t exactly good for me either," Naruto retorted.

Ino rolled her eyes, shutting her mouth as they reached the building.

-

While riding the elevator, Naruto came to realize something, "Why didn't she let me stay with Sakura-chan?"

Ino's eyebrow rose at his response, but remembered that he has no idea about Sakura's little vacation. "She's not here," she stated bluntly as they reached their floor.

"What do you mean? You can't mean that she-"

"Idiot, she's not dead," Ino retorted before such a silly thought crossed his mind, "She's taking a vacation."

"Oh..." Naruto muttered as they reached her apartment, "I...See..."

------

**_A/N: Eeek, that wasn't too long now was it? Sorry. I guess some chapters are just naturally long, or short. Till next time, ja!_**


	3. Chapter 3

**Never Too Late**

--

**Chapter 3: Breakfast Ramen**

**--**

While leaning on the one out of two dining chairs in Ino's dining room, Naruto thought about all the other places he could stay.

"Lee's?"

"He's out on a year long mission, left a month ago."

"Sasuke's?"

"That's what I thought too. You two are good friends after all. But I guess it's because of his wife and new kid."

"A kid?! Ugh," he removed his headband and put his hands through his hair out of frustration, "Hinata?"

"Married to Kiba, no space."

"Chouji?"

"Out of the village as well."

"Shino?"

"Married to some girl that none of us met."

"Shikamaru?"

"Lives with temari, the two are engaged."

"CRAP! Everyone's married!" he complained, stopping the leaning and getting off of the chair. He marched over to the couch and sat next to Ino. He let himself sink into the cushions as his frustration continued to seep out.

"I know," she rolled her blue eyes, "Everyone marries young these days anyways," she replied, crossing her arms and turning away from him.

Naruto was annoyed by her attitude towards him, but he was tired. He got up from the couch, "I'm going to bed." She immediately pointed towards his room. He frowned at her, but rolled his eyes and trutted towards his room. She decided to sit and stare at the ceiling, for just a little longer.

--

"INO WAKE UP!!" Came the loud voice of Naruto. He called out a couple more times, his arms waving around in urgency. His hitting of puberty made the sound of his voice even more powerful.

Ino's eyes slowly opened, "I don't remember having an alarm clock..." she muttered to herself. Lazily turning to her side, her face met Naruto's.

"WAKE UP!!"

Her eyes were wide open at this time. Since he was so close she decided to punch him in reflex.

"Owie..." he muttered, rubbing his blonde hair. She stood from her bed and was surprised to see him already showered and without his headband.

"There's barely any food in your fridge," he whined, his arms crossed over his chest. "I'll treat us to some breakfast ramen!" He then declared with his fox smile. By this age he didn't look as goofy as he did before.

"You have money?" she then asked, picking up her towel from the back of her door, "You're not gonna trick me into paying?" She's never been out with Naruto so she wouldn't know.

"You're mean Ino," Naruto responded, "First a punch, and then thinking that I'm cheap." She could feel her eye twitch at his attitude. He almost reminded her of his younger self, but at the same time, he was far from it. She shook her head from any other thoughts of him and pushed him out of her room so she could shower in the bathroom cnnected to her room.

-

"You take so long!!" Naruto complained, wearing his orange and black hoodie and pants. He was sitting cross legged on the floor as Ino emerged from her room wearing her usual outfit.

"Excuse me, I like to make sure I'm clean," was her response. He growled at her as he got up.

"'m only treating you for letting me live here," he noted as the twoexitted the apartment.

"And I'm thankful," she replied honestly, locking the door. He took one look at her smile and refleted his own. WIth a toothy grin he put his arm around her choulder, only to get rejected.

--

Neji and Tenten were already at the ramen stand. Naruto turned to Ino explaining tha tehre is such thing as breakfast ramen. And now pointing at the couple claimed that he wasn't the only one who ate breakfast ramen.

"Oh Naruto," Neji greeted, seeing the two blondes.

"Neji, Tenten," Naruto greeted with a polite bow. From this action all three konoha ninjas froze. He was being polite, and his voice even contained the right amount of sincerity. But as he rose from his gesture they simply smiled at him. He stared with a raised eyebrow, they were twitching furiously.

"Okay, it's not THAT surprising guys," he replies with a raspy voice. He takes a seat next to Neji and offers the one on his other side to his fellow blonde.

"One pork ramen!" Naruto declared with a happy face.

"Make that two," Ino followed after, resting a hand onto her chin.

"So what have you been doing this past year Naruto?" she asks, this caught the attention of both Tenten and Neji.

Naruto rubbed his fingers onto his temple then scratched his eyes. With a yawn he rested his hand onto his cheek, "I just did some personal things. Training, exploring, just occupied myself for a year. Shouldn't have done anything to the village, 'sides, you all have your precious Sasuke back."

Ino winced, he had no idea how much his absense affected Sakura.

"Sasuke has been very useful after his return," Neji claimed, finishing the last of his own ramen.

"He's changed," Tenten stated, leaning her head onto Neji's shoulder. Ino nodded at Naruto, and he just shrugged.

"Well isn't that great," he said with a sigh. Both of their ramen were ready at the time and they commenced the eating habit.

--

After ramen, Naruto seperated himself from Ino and decided to go visit Sasuke. He had reached the old region where the Uchiha clan stayed. There was a single standing home now, it stood out amongst the ruin. He walked casually towards the house, hands in his pocket, and his hood over his blonde lockes.

With two knocks, the door was answered by Chihiro. She held in her hands a baby girl with a small amount of hair. The eyes were taken from Chihiro, the hair colour from Sasuke. Naruto couldn't help but smile at the child.

"Hello there Naruto," Chihiro greeted.

"Yo," Naruto replied, walking in thanks to Chihiro's invite.

"Sasuke's in the back," she said quickly before retreatiung into the kitchen.

"Thanks."

Making his way to the back of the house, Naruto found Sasuke sitting on his porch sipping tea. Quietly, he took a seat next to his friend/rival.

"You're back," Sasuke greeted, turning to face Naruto. Naruto nodded in response, leaning back into the wind. "How was it?" He then asked, putting asde his cup of tea.

Naruto took in a deep breath before answering, "Not too much progress. I'm still a long ways from becoming Hokage."

"What's this?" Sasuke stated in a mocking shocked tone, "No, 'I'm going to become Hokage-tebayo!' from you?" He asked with a snicker.

"Shut up man. I know I still need to become stronger," he muttered, his voice retaining an angered tone.

Sasuke let out a soft sigh and looked away from Naruto, "We all do."

"I need more power," Naruto claimed, his hand forming a tight fist. asuke turned to his friend as he growled. A smirk took its place on Sasuke's face.

"Haha, then just do what you usually do. Never give up and continue training," by this time Sasuke understood Naruto. At least, that's what he though.

"What if that isn't enough? I've been training for so long...Yet, I can't be powerful enough!"

"Baka, all three of us became powerful. We're probabl going to become the next sannin," Sasuke claimed with a proud smile.

"You had your revenge, your life's purpose has been accomplished. I still haven't become Hokage-"

By this time Sasuke had his hand on Naruto's shoulder, "Now shut up. We're still young aren't we? Just relax and do your job as Konoha shinobi. You'll get that Hokage status eventually."

Naruto sighed, "I guess."

--

_**A/N: Wow, I suck. Such slow updates. Sorry guys.**_


End file.
